Close-Up Culture

Independent journalism on the things we love

Close-Up: An Interview With Amanda Golka

Creator Amanda Golka joins us on Close-Up Culture to chat about her work on Swell Entertainment and her exciting future projects. Hi Amanda, how would you describe Swell Entertainment to someone who has never encountered it before? Swell Entertainment is a Youtube channel where I cover and break down niche social media-based topics and review…
Review: Something Divine

by Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural Thomas Essig recently held a special Los Angelese screening of his Telly Award-winning documentary Something Divine. The film features Ray Cappo (Monk Raghunath), the lead singer of the straight edge hardcore band Youth of Today, Moby, and Cappo’s bandmates John “Porcell” Porcelly and Sammy Siegler, Kirtan singer Madhava Naidoo, and Kumi Yogini,…
First Look Review: The Girl In The Street

By Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural The Girl In The Street, a new horror short, featuring a SAG-AFTRA cast, written and directed by Chris Paicely and Miles August of Swym Good Films, dares to consider the dark realities that can occur during the full light of day. A young man leaves his dying sister to pursue…
Review: Bau, Artist At War

Dr. Laura Wilhelm of LauraWil Intercultural offers her early review of Sean McNamara’s powerful historical drama Bau, Artist at War, starring Emile Hirsch (Into The Wild, Milk, Lone Survivor, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Inbar Lavi (Lucifer, Imposters). The film will have its world theatrical premiere on September 26, 2025, and is distributed by ShowBiz Direct and Republic Pictures. To the vast array of gripping Holocaust dramas such as…
Christopher M. Dukes, Hollywood Triple Threat

–by Dr. Laura Wilhelm, LauraWil Intercultural Christopher M. Dukes is a seasoned actor, stuntman, and entrepreneur whose career spans over two decades in film, television, and live performance. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Dukes moved to Los Angeles in 1995 after earning a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Nebraska. Known for his versatility…
Close-Up: An Interview With Who Is Claude Cahun? Actor Lilit Lesser

Actor Lilit Lesser talks to Close-Up Culture’s Claire Sloan about the poignant new production, Who Is Claude Cahun? This powerful play portrays the extraordinary true story of trailblazing Jewish lesbian artist, Claude Cahun, who defied the Nazi regime through acts of artistic resistance on the occupied island of Jersey during the Second World War. What…
Producer Scott Ihrig On The Ghost And Mrs. Muir

Producer Scott Ihrig joins us on Close-Up Culture to talk about the exciting new musical adaptation of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is clearly a timeless story with universal themes of love and loss. How do you see the show evolving ahead of its 2026 production? The Ghost and Mrs Muir…
Tribeca 2025: Director Tony Mucci On Money Talk$

Tony Mucci is an emerging writer and director from New York City. Accumulating over 2 billion views across all his work, he’s directed music videos for artists like Justin Bieber, Juice WRLD and Drake. Tony joins us on Close-Up Culture to talk about his directorial debut, MONEY TALK$, which will premiere at Tribeca Film Festival…
Close-Up: An Interview With Sofia Yepes

Writer, producer, and actor Sofia Yepes joins us on Close-Up Culture to talk about her film, The Low End Theory. It tells the story of a traumatized vet-turned-money-launderer who steals from her drug dealer boss to pay off debts owed by the beautiful woman with whom she is having an obsessive affair. Hi Sofia, You’ve said The…
Costume Designer Mayou Trikerioti On House Of David

Costume designer Mayou Trikerioti joins us on Close-Up Culture to discuss her work on the Amazon Prime show, House of David. Set in 1000 BC in Israel, it chronicles David as a young shepherd anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king following Saul’s disobedient descent. Hi Mayou, welcome to Close-Up Culture. What…